Metal solid production method

Abstract

Provided is a method for producing a metal solid, the method being capable of easily producing a metal solid. A method for producing a metal solid, the method comprising covering at least a portion of the periphery of a metal powder with a high-melting-point material having a melting point higher than the melting point of the metal powder; and irradiating the metal powder, at least a portion of the periphery of which is covered with the high-melting-point material, with microwaves to heat the metal powder, thereby sintering or melt-solidifying the metal powder.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A device for producing a metal solid, the device comprising:
 a stage on which a layer of a metal powder and a layer of a high-melting-point solid covering at least a portion of a periphery of the layer of the metal powder and having a melting point higher than the melting point of the metal powder are placed; 
 a microwave irradiator configured to irradiate the metal powder, at least a portion of the periphery of which is covered with the high-melting-point solid, with microwaves to heat the metal powder, thereby sintering or melt-solidifying the metal powder; 
 a high-melting-point solid placement unit configured to place the layer of the high-melting-point solid on the stage covering at least a portion of the periphery of the layer of the metal powder; and 
 a metal powder placement unit configured to place the layer of the metal powder in a recess of the layer of the high-melting-point solid, 
 wherein: 
 in the at least a portion of the periphery covered with the high-melting-point solid, the metal powder and the high-melting-point solid are in contact with each other; and 
 the high-melting-point solid includes a mixture of:
 an insulation material that has a lower degree of absorption of the microwaves than the metal powder; and 
 an absorbent material that absorbs the microwaves in a temperature zone at least a portion of which is lower than a temperature zone in which the metal powder absorbs the microwaves. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the high-melting-point solid placement unit applies the high-melting-point solid directly onto the stage. 
     
     
       3. The device for producing a metal solid according to  claim 1 , wherein the high-melting-point solid placement unit laminates a layer of the high-melting-point solid on the stage. 
     
     
       4. The device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a curable material addition unit configured to add a curable liquid material to at least a portion of the high-melting-point solid. 
     
     
       5. The device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a curing unit configured to cure at least a portion of the high-melting-point solid. 
     
     
       6. The device according to  claim 5 , further comprising an uncured material remover configured to remove the high-melting-point solid that is uncured. 
     
     
       7. The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the metal powder placement unit is configured to place the periphery of the layer of the metal powder in contact with the layer of the high-melting-point solid on the stage. 
     
     
       8. The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the metal powder placement unit applies the metal powder directly onto the stage. 
     
     
       9. The device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a pressurizer configured to apply a pressure to the metal powder placed on the stage. 
     
     
       10. The device according to  claim 9 ,
 wherein the pressurizer applies a pressure to the metal powder before the microwave irradiator irradiates the metal powder with the microwaves. 
 
     
     
       11. The device according to  claim 9 ,
 wherein the pressurizer applies a pressure to the metal powder after the microwave irradiator irradiates the metal powder with the microwaves. 
 
     
     
       12. The device according to  claim 1 , further comprising an inert gas supplier that supplies an inert gas to the metal powder. 
     
     
       13. The device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a reducing gas supplier that supplies a reducing gas to the metal powder. 
     
     
       14. The device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the device repeats: 
 placing the metal powder and the high-melting-point solid on the stage by the high-melting-point solid placement unit and the metal powder placement unit; and 
 sintering or melt-solidifying the metal powder by the microwave irradiator. 
 
     
     
       15. The device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the metal powder includes a metal oxide; and 
 the microwave irradiator further includes a reduction unit configured to reduce the metal oxide before the microwave irradiator irradiates the metal powder with the microwaves. 
 
     
     
       16. The device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the high-melting-point solid includes from 1 mass % to 70 mass % of the absorbent material.